By Erik Walsh The News Staff ATHENS–After nearly 30 years in operation, the Henderson County Alcohol/Drug Abuse Education Awareness Association is no more. County Commissioners agreed to disband the once-influential community group after Coordinator Linda Battles told the court a lack of public interest and funding contributed to its shut down Jan. 3. The Association

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By Erik Walsh The News Staff ATHEN–Each Jan. 1, elected county officials across America are sworn in to begin their tenure. This year five such officials gathered at the Henderson County Courthouse Annex to make their vows of service, while simultaneously three more affirmed their oaths across the street at the County Court at Law

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By Erik Walsh The News Staff HENDERSON COUNTY–Much has transpired in Henderson County in the past year. From the courthouse’s birthday, to school bomb threats, to tragic accidents, these are the stories that mattered to us the most at The News. AMWA dispute resolved: Voters decided to keep the Athens Municipal Water Authority (AMWA) afloat

Boy killed crossing tracks

MALAKOFF–A 14-year-old Malakoff boy was killed Thursday afternoon when he ran in front of a passing train while trying to cross the tracks.

Kim Suttle, whose son Dakota, 16, witnessed the death, said Harry Smith, 14, was clipped in the leg crossing from his home, directly south of the railroad tracks at the intersection of the Union Pacific Railroad and FM 3441 (S. Terry Street, in downtown Malakoff.)

The witness was taken to Malakoff City Hall, his mother said, to be interviewed by law-enforcement officials. Officers on the scene included several state highway patrol officers, along with local law enforcement. Henderson County Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Tommy Barnett also was at the scene, as was a law-enforcement chaplain.

Jill Davis of Malakoff said she was at the nearby Methodist Church and heard a train whistle about 3 p.m., then heard a loud crash. “I thought, oh my God, the train derailed,” Davis said. The victim sometimes worked at an antiques business just north of the tracks, she added.

The train was uncoupled, with each segment on both sides of the FM 3441 intersection, through which traffic proceeded. Traffic was blocked by the front portion of the uncoupled train at the Carver Avenue intersection, to the west. None of the train’s cars appeared to be derailed.